Apparatus for pointing elongated material



5. H. JOHNSTON APPARATUS FOR POINTIIiG ELONGATED MATERIAL Nov. 12, 1940.

Filed March 11, 1940 Jtafford H. J ofmston Patented Nov. 12, 1940uui'reo STATES 2,221,239 APPARATUS FOR ronv'rmo ELONGATED Stafford 11.Johnston, Washington, D. 0.

Application March 11,

Claims.

This invention relates to the shaping of elongated material, such aslead for pencils, and more particularly to apparatus for pointingelongated material.

In illustration work and the preparation of drawings for architectural,engineering and other activities, draftsmen ordinarily are constantlyrequired to obtain a sharp axial point on their drafting implements,such as pencils, crayons or charcoal.

Heretofore, recourse has been had to pointerpads consisting of strips ofsand papers glued to a hand board. Such pads are used by holding the padon the table with one hand and stroking the sand paper with the lead endheld in the other.

After practice, a fairly satisfactory point is obtained with pointerpads but usually the removed graphite dust blows over the desk to soilthe work, as well as the draftsmans hands and attire.

In an effort to prevent soiling by graphite dust, it has been proposedto construct apointe'r including a box having a floating cutter at oneend with resiliently mounted blades. If the structure could be made towork it would prevent loosely scattering the graphite dust; but ,theresilient blade mounting is complicated, hard to keep in working orderand expensive to manufacture, besides rendering it diificult to obtainthe proper cutting pressure on the lead due to the yielding 80 bladehousing.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providepointing mechanisms which will be simple in construction, economical tomanufacture and efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple pointingmechanism so formed as to lie fiat without rolling from anypredetermined position.

In one form of the invention, a container has a closure cap rigidly'holding three integral radially disposed blades. The blades haveangula'rly disposed cutting edges which are contiguous at the axis ofthe container to point a pencil lead advanced through a recess in thecap.

In another form the fixed blades are not integral but are fixed to threeintegral support elements in the cap. In another form, angular supportelements for the fixed blades are assembled by soldering, welding orother attaching means.

A further modification involves making the container with fiat sides toprevent rolling.

The invention will be understood by the following detailed description,read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, forming a part there-55 of, wherein 1940, Serial No. 323,429

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. ,1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the preferred form of cutter;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cutter of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified blade; 1

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified cutter;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the cutter of Fi 6;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of a second modified form of cutter;

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the cutter of 15 Fig. 8; l

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modified pointer assembly;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a further modified pointer assembly; and

. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the construction of Fig. 11, with afragmentary section showing the primary form of cutter therein.

Referring particularly to the preferred form of the invention,illustrated in Figs. 1 to inclusive,- a lead pointer includes ahexagonal cap l6 having a top 11 and flat sides l8 forming projectingcomers IQ for preventing rolling.' The cap has an axial hole 20 foradmitting leads, crayons, sticks or spindles to be pointed and ischaracterized by an internal groove 2| for close attachment as a closureelement for circular container 22. Neck 23 of the container has a spiralhead 24 which engages with groove 2| for tightening cap 16 in efiectiveclosing relation on container 22, I

Internally, cap I6 is provided with circular recess 26 for snuglyaccommodating circular cutter 21. Cutter 21 in its simplest aspect isintegral in design, consisting of disc 28 of good quality steel fortemper, such as 22-gauge tool steel. Disc 28 has axial hole 29 and aperipheral rim 30 supporting lead-scraping blades 3|, 3la and 3";radially disposed with respect to the axis of the cap IE or container22. Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be observed thatblades 3|, 3la and 3lb are struck up from the material of disc 28, beingbent along lines 32 and each provided with a curved rear'edge 33conveniently to clear container neck 23 in assemblage. Each blade has aninclined front face 3t characterized by a radially aligned cutting edge35 which at its extremity is contiguous to the cutting edges of theother blades and accurately disposed in the axis of hole 20. Preferably,axial hole 20 is countersunk to facilitate invention.

A conventional drafting pencil 36 has a projecting lead 31 whichconstantly requires a fine point 38. Referring particularly to Fig. 2,when lead 31 is inserted in hole 20 and coaxial hole 29 and rotatedduring advance with just sufiicient pressure to scrape off the graphite,continuance of its advance and rotation soon results in pointing thelead as it advances along blade 3|, 3| a and 3|b until the lead attainsthe point where the fixed blades are contiguous.

Pointing of the pencil as indicated produces graphite dust which fallsinto the container 22 as debris. It will be understood that the volumeof container 22 may be of any desired value; ordinarily a two-ounceglass bottle will sufiice to hold the graphite dust accumulated frompointing operations over several days. When the container is transparentas in Fig. 2, convenient visual inspection is afforded in order toobserve the progress of the sharpening operation. However, the containermay be of material other than transparent substances, in which casesatisfactory inspection is afforded by simply withdrawing the point toobserve the progress of the pointing operation. The container mayconveniently be emptied by unscrewing cap l6 and dumping thedebris,after which the pointer is reassembled by replacing the cap onthe container. During this latter operation, the cutter is automaticallyaligned axially with respect to the cap or container, due to its nestedrelation in recess 26 of the cap.

It will be understood that the cutter may be of other material than22-gauge steel to suit desired requirements and the cap and containermay be of Bakelite or other thermoplastic, metal, or any conventionallike or unlike material. Also, it will be understood that the cap aswell as the container may be variously colored, ornamented or inscribed,as with identifying or advertising indicia.

In lieu of the integral construction of Figs. 3 and 4, there may be usedas a feature of the cutter assembly the separable blade of Fig. 5characterized by a straight base 4|, a curved rear edge 42 and inclinedfront face 43, the latter adapted for angular disposition with respectto the axis of the cap. This blade has elongated slot 44, parallel tostraight base 4| for mounting on cutter disc 45 at axial hole 46, thelatter for accommodating the lead to be pointed. The cutter assembly ofFig. 6 may be utilized in the same manner as the cutter of Figs. 3 and4, normally being fixed between cap and container. Adjustability of theblades is a feature of the alternative form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, suchblades therein being carried on support ears 4! integral with disc 45and struck up at an angle therefrom. Each support car 41 has an aperture48 for accommodating screw 49 extending through blade slot 44 and nut 50to be tightened thereon to fix the blades rigidly with respect. to disc45. Although any conventional material may be utilized, due to thenature of the parts a cheaper material such as white metal or brass maybe used for disc whilethe separable blades may be made of any tool steelfor temper. By referring to Fig. 7 it will be observed that the blades,as in the preferred form, have radial cutting edges which extend attheir extremity to contiguous relation in the axis of the cutter.

A further modification is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 to include a disc 5|having an axial hole 52 for receiving the lead to be pointed, and havingthree radially disposed support angles 53 welded or soldered thereon.Each support angle 53 has an aperture 54 for accommodating screw 65which extends through slot 44 of the blade of Fig. 5, fixedly to securesaid blade when nut 56 is tightened. Good results have been obtained byutilizing 0-80 size machine screw and nut of brass. However, theinvention is not to be limited to such detail as other dimensions may bepracticed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Although there are described embodiments utilizing a cap having adiameter greater than the diameter of the container, it is entirelyfeasible without departing from the invention to construct a pointingapparatus having a container of greater diameter than the cap. Forexample, Figs. 10 and 11 show diiferent forms involving suchmodifications. In Fig. 10 a three-sided container 51 has a. smallercircular cap 58; while in Fig. 11 a four-sided container 59 is providedwith a smaller circular cap 60. As so modified, by referring to Fig. 12it will be noted that neck 6| of a bottle 59 has spiral bead 62 forengaging internal groove 63 of cap 60 for tightening the cap thereon asthe closure element, thereby rigidly assembling therebetween cutter 66which may be of a form corresponding either to Fig. 3, Fig. 6, or Fig.8.

Constructions as described above are capable of being cheaplymanufactured to form durable mechanisms capable of attractive design ina variety of shapes. The operator will very soon learn the simpletechnique explained above for pointing the lead, and no difiiculty willbe experienced in maintaining perfect points on the drafting implementregardless of its material.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for pointing a standard lead having a coaxial surroundingnon-lead holder, a container, a. cap for the container, a plurality oflead pointing cutters rigidly fixed at the inner surface of the cap andrelatively positioned each with respect to the other to taper-cut onlythe lead, an aperture in the cap of a size to receive the pencil leadwith the top of said cap acting as an abutment for the holding means forsaid lead, the upper portions of said cutters defining an openingcoinciding with and of the sazne size as said aperture.

2. In a device of the class described, a. container having an upper rim,9. cap for the container, a cutter base of a size to engage said upperrim and held between the cap and said rim, pencil lead pointing cuttersheld by said base and in cutting position, an aperture in said base of asize to receive a pencil lead, and an aperture in said cap coincidingwith said first mentioned aperture and of a size to receive a pencillead with the top surface of the cap acting as an abutment for a holdingmeans for the lead.

3. In a device of the class described, a container having an upper rim,a cap for the container, a cutter base of a size to engage said upperrim and held between said cap and said rim, integral pencil leadpointing cutters stamped out of said base and in cutting position, anaperture in said base of a size to receive a pencil lead, and anaperture in said cap coinciding with said first mentioned aperture andof a size to receive a pencil lead with the top surface of the capacting as an abutment for a. holding means for the lead.

4. In a device of the class described, a container having an upper rim,a cap for the container, a cutter base of a size to engage said upperrim and held between said cap and said rim, integral lugs on said base,pencil lead pointing cutters held by said lug and in cutting position,an aperture in said base of a size to receive a pencil lead, and anaperture in said cap coinciding with said first mentioned aperture andof a size to receive a pencil lead with the top surface of the capacting as an abutment for a holding means for the lead.

5. Inc. device of the class described, a container having an upper rim,a cap for the container, a cutter base of a size to engage said upperrim and held between said cap and said rim, lugs secured to said base,pencil lead pointing cutters detachably held by said lugs and in cuttingposition, an aperture in said base of a size to receive a pencil lead,and an aperture in said cap coinciding with said first mentionedaperture and of a. size to receive a pencil lead with the top surface ofthe cap acting as an abutment for a holding means for the lead.

STAFFORD H. JOHNSTON.

